Committee discusses full-day kindergarten
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

The Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School Committee continued the discussion about whether to implement full-day kindergarten as part of the upcoming budget at their meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 4.

Committee members began the discussion at their meeting last week as they discuss what to include in their FY09 budget and how to spend the money from FY07 that was recently certified as excess and deficiency.

Superintendent Michael Zapantis proposed an approximately $26.2 million operating budget. Assuming the district is level funded from the state and 2.5 percent plus growth from the towns the district would have a nearly $1.3 million shortfall.

The Governor's budget does have an increase in aid from last year's budget but a budget still has to be proposed by the legislature.

Committee members like Michelle Gianino said she is concerned about the space, or lack there of, at John R. Briggs Elementary School. Zapantis said he would present a space plan for each of the elementary schools at the committee's meeting on Tuesday.

The committee is also trying to determine how much interest there is in the full-day kindergarten from the parents' future students.

They are hoping members of the public come to the public hearings at Overlook Middle School on Tuesdays, Feb. 12 and 26, at 6:30 p.m.

Zapantis is proposing using about $300,000 of the district's excess and deficiency, which is about $785,000, to jump start the program. After the first year the program the Department of Education will increase the funding because of the increased number of full-time students in the district.

Excess and deficiency is a one-time revenue source, so committee members and school officials are wary of using it to supplement the operating budget.

Chairman David Christianson said he thinks there needs to be some discussion of reconciling this year's budget with that money. He said there should be a discussion of refunding sports and activity fees, and adding back in this year's plan to lease new computers.

Committee member Keith Glenny said he did not want to reimburse fees if they committee was going to have to turn around and charge for athletics next year. The proposed budget by Zapantis full funds the athletic budget without fees.

Christianson said he would support setting some of the money away to pay for some costs in future years, such as the next three years of the technology plan and the next three years of the capital plan.

Committee member Leonard Beaton said there needs to be some consideration of paving the driveway and parking lot of Overlook Middle School.

Earlier in the evening the Committee met with members of the Ashburnham and Westminster Advisory Boards and Boards of Selectmen.

The town officials asked the school committee if they had plans for the $785,000 and if they were planning on supplementing their operating budget with it. The town officials did not offer any specific requests about the use of that money.

Ashburnham Selectman Mark Carlisle did warn the school officials the town's departments were asked to cut their budgets by 3 percent.